Astromart

February 4, 2005 06:40 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M51 - Help needed

Hi all-

I've been lurking and absorbing your knowledge and am ready to ask for help. This is an image of M51 shot with a 10" f10 on a 6302 chip. It is 36 600 sec lum exposures binned 2x2 and 12 each RGB binned 3x3, 12 hours all together. The image is cropped of course, as the sky noise is overwhelming at full image.

It is shot under very light polluted skies, 7 or 8 on the Bortle scale.

So my question is, is this the best I can do? Can I get rid of the sky noise by better processing? Is the binning hurting me - Should my lum be 1x1? Sould I try again using the IDAS LPS filter? Would 900 or 1200 sec exposures help or just make it worse?

Thanks for any comments.

Steve

February 22, 2005 03:53 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

horsehead ha

Posted By Steve Victor

This the first use of my new ha filter. Its amazing to me that you can get even this much detail with a 3/4 moon so close. This is the best focus I could get under poor seeing (I think, is there some way to tell? :S ) I am still dreaming of the little square stars which I see in your postings.

Steve

April 19, 2005 05:15 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

M81

Posted By Steve Victor

Hi all-

I feel like I'm getting a foothold on this learning curve. I'd appreciate any comments or suggetions to help me up. (Tyler -how did you bring up your red so much?)

Thanks,

Steve

M81 LRGB 180/40/40/40 with my Meade 10" on a G11 and Trifid 6303,processed Maxim/Photoshop

April 20, 2005 01:00 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M81

Posted By Steve Victor

Hi all-

I feel like I'm finally getting a foothold on this learning curve. I'd appreciate any comments or suggetions to help along. (Tyler -how did you bring up your red so much and stay color balanced?) :S

Thanks,

Steve

M81 LRGB 180/40/40/40 with my Meade 10" on a G11 and Trifid 6303,processed Maxim/Photoshop

February 16, 2005 03:45 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M51 from this morning

Posted By Steve Victor

Jose-

This is beautiful!

Can you tell me why you adjust the exposure times on the RGB instead of the number of images you add together, and how did you determine the ratio you use?

Also, after you are rested, could you give a quick recap of your processing steps?

Thanks for the help,

Steve

February 22, 2005 03:57 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky